It's Kind of a Funny Story
by Shaye1106
Summary: They've been at this for a while. The secret dates, the sneaking around. You'd think they'd be better at it. {Based on a prompt}


A concert. They just had to get caught at a concert. She's sitting on his shoulders, a little tipsy, and screaming more than entirely necessary. "Maya?" Riley asks after spending the last five minutes weaving through the crowd. She doesn't hear her. "Lucas?" He does.

"Riley." His head turns so quickly, Maya startles and nearly loses her balance. "I got you," he murmurs, still dazed and slightly unsure of what happens next. Lucas' hands tighten on Maya's thighs as he turns slowly, breathing in and out. This will pass. In and out. Everything will work out. In and out. Oh, screw it. They're in trouble. Riley and Farkle trouble.

As she catalogues the situation before her, Maya squirms her way down Lucas' back. She wants to apologize, she wants to explain herself, she wants to beg for the forgiveness she doesn't believe she deserves. Instead, all that comes out is, "When did you get tickets to this concert?"

Riley doesn't answer, just grabs Farkle's hand and turns away. She needed to see them for herself. There had been hints; there had been rumors. But they weren't real, weren't flesh and blood, weren't I-saw-this-with-my-own-eyes. She pulls Farkle all the way to the parking lot before plopping down on a bench. "Riley-" Farkle wraps an arm around her shoulder. "It will be okay."

She nods, but otherwise remains silent. In and out. In and out. She lets her mind wander to a happy place; she thinks of the bay window, before boys and makeups and breakups. "I know." She gives him a tiny smile. "It's already fine."

Farkle shakes his head. "I don't understand."

"It's been three years," Riley begins, "Lucas and I...we never would've worked. We didn't work." She thinks of how to phrase the mess of emotions swirling around her head, but before she has a chance to elaborate, Maya and Lucas have located the bench.

"Honey, I'm so sorry," Maya says again and again. "I'm so sorry." She's kneeling in front of Riley now, trying to get her friend to make eye contact as Lucas speaks quietly to Farkle.

"I'm not mad at you, Peaches," Riley manages. She places her hands over Maya's trembling ones.

"You're not?"

"No." Riley turns to face the boys. "Not at you, either."

"She was just saying that," Farkle adds. "I, on the other hand, might be mad."

Riley ruffles his hair. "We both already knew." At their confused glances, Riley continues. "Unofficially, of course. Just a feeling." She takes another breath. "More than a feeling, if I'm being honest." The look in Maya's eyes give away her next question. "I just needed a minute to process." She tilts Maya's chin up. "I'm not running. Not leaving."

Maya lets out a shuddering breath. "I _am_ sorry."

"I know." Riley shifts herself over on the bench, making room for the two newcomers. "But you shouldn't have to be. You have every right to be happy. You always have." Riley smiles. A tad of sadness still lingers in her eyes, but it's a smile nonetheless.

Lucas brings his hand to Maya's shoulder, rubbing gently, soothingly. "We should have told you sooner."

"Yep," Riley and Farkle resound.

"It's like you two are on the same frequency," Maya laughs. "What?" She gestures to the expressions on her friends' faces. "I like science...sometimes."

Lucas chuckles, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Just don't blow up New York."

"Yeah, no promises."

"You guys are really cute," Riley sighs, smothering Maya in a hug.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Maya, I'm fine." Pulling back, Riley examines the pair before her. "I got over Lucas a long time ago. We're just meant to be friends." She shares a small smile with Lucas. "Seeing you two together was closure. I just need some time."

"Anything you need, Riles," Lucas says. "We never wanted to hurt you."

"Dating each other doesn't hurt me. I just wish you guys had told me."

"And me," Farkle pipes up, reminding everyone of his presence. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"We didn't want to hurt you. And we figured we should see where this goes before there's a label and pressure and everything." Lucas turns to Farkle. "Wouldn't that be the smart way to do things? Almost like an experiment?"

"Feelings and science don't mix." He pulls on a lock of Riley's hair, smiling slightly. "But I guess you could say that love makes you do crazy things."

"Hiding from you was crazy." Maya takes Riley's hand. "Never again."

"I'll hold you to that," Riley says. Leaping up from her seat and pulling Maya with her, Riley begins to jump. "Now, since you owe me for keeping this secret-"

Maya falters, "Yeah?"

"I want details."

"I don't want you to feel-"

"Enough of that." Riley pulls Maya's face in her direction. "When did this," she gestures between Maya and Lucas, "start?"

It's a long few minutes, but Maya finally relents. "April 30th. He took me out for frozen hot chocolate and then we went to his house."

"Details, Peaches."

"We played Monopoly and then marathoned NCIS."

"Oh, you did good," Riley says to Lucas. "All her favorites."

Lucas grinned. "I hoped."

"You did your research."

"Maybe." He chuckles. "But I wouldn't say we started there. I would say mid-December, when I kissed her under the mistletoe."

Maya blushed. "Such a Huckleberry." She moves to sit in Lucas' lap. "We weren't official yet. We didn't speak for like, three weeks after that."

"Because somebody wouldn't give me the time of day."

Maya shakes her hand, muttering, "Details, details."

"Well I think both of those are sweet. But if you hurt her, I'll hurt you, got it?"

"Got it," Lucas says, his head backing away from the menacing smirk on his typically-docile friend's face.

"Good. Who wants to go finish the concert?" Riley, still standing, grabs Farkle's hand, pulling him up off the bench.

"Wait," Maya says. She's standing up, her eyes moving from Riley's eyes to Farkle's to their entwined hands. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Together?" Lucas clarifies.

"Well," Farkle begins, caught off-guard by the change in the line of questioning. "It's kind of a funny story…"


End file.
